Casino toddler battling cancer is still in good spirits

THE family of two-year-old Casino toddler Blake Daniels say they have been overwhelmed by the support of friends, family and the community after their son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma earlier this year.

It's a rare form of childhood cancer that has seen Blake undergo chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant and radiation therapy.

The whole treatment cycle lasts between 12 and 18 months, with immunotherapy still to go.

Blake's mum Sally Daniels said it was the last thing her and her husband Scott expected when they got married late last year.

"We got married in September and by February (Blake was diagnosed), so it's not how we expected our first year of marriage, that's for sure," she said.

"Everyone asks how do you do it? And the only answer we can come up with is you have to, you've got no choice.

"I think one of the hardest things is getting used to what the doctors and nurses have to do to the kids in the treatment.

"For example chemo, they have to literally put poison into the children, but that's the only treatment they have, so you've got no choice."

Last weekend, friends and family of the Daniels put together a fundraiser at the Teven Valley golf course to help with the costs of travel, accommodation in Brisbane near the hospital and loss of income.

"It's just amazing to see the amount of people who would come out and even before that we've had lots of messages of support, it's just overwhelming," Mrs Daniels said.

"I just hope that people do realise that childhood cancer's random, it doesn't discriminate and it can just change everything in literally one day.

"We're lucky Blake hasn't lost his smile, he's still cheeky, which is good to see.

"There are a lot of kids up there that look really sick and it's heartbreaking to see. But it helps us get through it if he's still happy and healthy looking.

"At an age when their brain is developing so quickly, he's learning all about hospitals instead of what a normal kid should be learning."